Chemical cleaning system for electrodes used in a liquid environment

Abstract

A apparatus and method for in-situ treatment of electrodes in liquid environments in which a solution supply orifice is located near an electrode to be cleaned, and when cleaning is desired, a treatment solution from the solution supply orifice is directed against the electrode or electrodes. A cleaning baffle may be placed over the electrodes to better direct the treatment solution. The electrodes may be cleaned of the treatment solution by directing a flow of gas or a second treatment solution against the electrodes, subsequent use of the first treatment solution.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for in-situ cleaning of electrodes the electrodes being mounted within an electrode housing, and having a surface in communication with a liquid to be measured comprising: 
       providing a cleaning solvent to a solvent supply orifice via said electrode housing, said solvent supply orifice adjacent an electrode to be cleaned;  
       causing a cleaning baffle having a solvent channel extending along a surface of the cleaning baffle directly facing the electrode and supply orifice to move be rotated from a first position adjacent the electrode to a second position covering the surface of the electrode wherein when the cleaning baffle is said first position, analysis of the liquid to be measured occurs, and when the cleaning baffle is in the second position, cleaning of said electrode occurs; and  
       directing the cleaning solvent from the solvent supply orifice, across the surface of the of the electrode using the solvent channel, when the cleaning baffle is in the second position.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1  wherein: 
       the cleaning baffle is connected to an actuator via a transport mechanism; and  
       movement of the cleaning baffle from the first position to the second portion is accomplished via the transport mechanism by activating the actuator.  
     
     
       3. The method of claim  2  wherein: 
       the actuator is a rotary actuator; and  
       the transport mechanism comprises a shaft connecting the rotary actuator to the cleaning baffle.  
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1 , further comprising the step of forcing a gas in said cleaning baffle solvent channel subsequent electrode cleaning and while the cleaning baffle is still in the second position, to dissipate cleaning solvent from the region around the electrode. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1  further comprising the step of forcing a liquid other than solvent in said cleaning baffle solvent channel subsequent electrode cleaning and while the cleaning baffle is still in the second position, to dissipate cleaning solvent from the area around the electrode. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1  wherein one cleaning baffle is used to cover more than one electrode, when said cleaning baffle is in said second position. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for in-situ cleaning of electrodes used in caustic liquid environments to analyze a liquid to be measured and mounted in an electrode housing comprising: 
       a solvent supply orifice mounted in said electrode housing, and adjacent the electrode;  
       an cleaning baffle rotatably mounted along a shaft that is centrally located on said electrode housing said cleaning baffle rotatable between a first and second position, the first position being adjacent the electrode wherein analysis of the liquid to be measured occurs, and when the cleaning baffle is in said second position cleaning of said electrode occurs, said cleaning baffle further including a solvent channel extending along a surface of the cleaning baffle directly facing the electrode and supply orifice; and  
       means for rotating said cleaning baffle from said first position to said second position wherein in said second position said solvent channel covers said electrode and said solvent supply orifice and solvent from the solvent supply orifice flows within said solvent channel across the surface of the electrode cleaning said electrode.  
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim  7  wherein one cleaning baffle is used to cover more than one electrode, when said cleaning baffle is rotated into said second position. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim  7  wherein the means for rotating said cleaning baffle comprises: 
       an actuator connected to said shaft; and  
       whereby movement of the cleaning baffle from the first position to the second position is accomplished via said shaft by activating the actuator.  
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim  9  wherein said actuator is a rotary actuator that rotates said shaft thereby rotating said cleaning baffle from said first position to said second position. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim  7  wherein the means for rotating the cleaning baffle comprises a manual lever. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim  7  wherein the cleaning baffle is composed of a nickel-molybdenum-chromium-tungsten alloy.